Method of making endless printing tapes



April 23, 1963 w. PLOEGER, LIR I 3,086,901

METHOD OF MAKING ENDLESS PRINTING TAPES Filed March 24, 1960 WALTERPLOEGER, JR.

BYMRW ATTORNEY ,086,901 METHOD OF MAKING ENDLESS PRINTING TAPES WalterPloeger, .lra, North Rellmore, N.Y., assignor to The Edgecraft Co., NewYork, N.Y., a New York partnership Filed Mar. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 17,3914 Claims. (Cl. 156-159) The present invention relates to endlessprinting ribbons, and more particularly to a endless printing ribbon fortypewriters, adding machines, and similar machines which printcharacters on paper.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSerial No. 813,300, filed May 14, 1959, now Patent No. 3,010,559.

The use of endless printing tapes for ofiice equipment has found wideacceptance in the trade. The endless printing ribbons which have beenmade prior to this invention had several disadvantages and drawbacks.The tapes or ribbons made heretofore were made by a method which wascostly and time consuming.

One known method of making an endless printing tape or ribbon comprisedweaving a tube of fabric on a special loom, the tubes then had to befinished in accordance with methods known to the finishers of the typeof cloth, then the tubes were cut or slit to the required widths. Inthis method of making endless tapes or ribbons, each individual endlesstape or ribbon had to be inked individually. In addition, it has beenfound to be very diflicult to attach a plastic sheet thereto. Thus, thismethod does not lend itself to mass production.

In another method of making endless tapes or ribbons, a portion of aribbon is unrolled from a roller and cut to the specific lengthrequired, and then the ends are sewn or pasted together. This methodrequires the tapes to be individually inked so that the joint will haveink thereon. This method has the drawback that each tape must beindividually inked and the joint have a greater thickness than theremainder of the tape. When a group of keys are hit at the same time orclosely adjacent in time, the imprint from the key or keys that hit thejoint is not as dark as the imprints of other keys which hit the tape orribbon on either side of the joint. Thus, this method does not lenditself to mass production of endless tapes or ribbons.

In addition to the above disadvantages, the prior tapes were made fromsilk or cotton. The length of the tape.

or ribbon lifetime would be greatly increased if it were made fromnylon. Heretofore it has been extremely difficult to make an endlesstape from nylon because of the many problems presented in joining theadjacent edges of the nylon fabric.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the foregoingdisadvantages of the prior endless tapes or ribbons.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an endless tape orribbon which is made from a roll of the tape or ribbon.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a tape orribbon which gives a uniform imprint when hit by a key.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a novel methodfor making endless tapes or ribbons.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently pre- 'ferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the appparatus on which applicants endlesstapes or ribbons are made.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of theapparatus in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view taken along the lines 3-3 of the apparatus inFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the cutting knife shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE -5 is a perspective view of an endless tape produced by theapparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tape shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, where like nurnerals indicatelike elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a plan view of the apparatuson which the endless tapes of this invention are made.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the apparatus on which the endless tapes are madeis a jig plate designated in general by the numeral 10. The jig plate 10is generally rectangular in shape and is defined by the parallel endwalls 12 and 13 and the parallel side walls 14 and 15. A slot 17 isprovided on the edge 13 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Aboveslot 17, there is provided a slot 16 which extends inwardly from edge 13of the jig plate 10 for a substantial distance. Slot 16 is provided witha groove 18 which extends throughout the length of slot 16.

Integral with the jig plate 10, there is provided a truncated cone 20which extends from the edge 14. It will be seen that truncated cone 20has an edge 21 which is coextensive with edge 13. The truncated cone 20is provided with converging edges 22 and 24 for a purpose to bedescribed hereinafter. Along edge 21 and edge 13, there is provided anarrow-shaped positioner 26. The arrowshaped positioner 26 is providedwith a mating edge 28 and converging edges 30 and 32. A stem 34 on thearrow-shaped positioner 26 is provided with outwardly directed keys 36.The keys '36 on each side of the stem 34 ride in the grooves .18 of theslot 16. The arrowshaped positioner 26 is adjustable from the solid lineposition of FIGURE 1 to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1. Themeans providing for adjustment of the arrow-shaped positioner 26 may beof conventional construction such as a setscrew (not shown). It will benoted that adjustment of the arrow-shaped positioner enables endlesstapes of diiferent lengths to be made on the same jig plate.

At strategic locations on the jig plate, there are provided a pluralityof pivotable gates 38, 40, 42, and 44. Each of these gates areidentical, therefore only the gate 38 will be described in detail. Astandard 46 is attached in the jig plate '10 by any convenient mannersuch as welding. The gate 38 is provided with a pair of ears 48 and apin 50 extends through the ears 48 and the standard 46. Thus, the gate38 can be pivoted with relation to the jig plate 10. As seen moreclearly in FIGURE 3, the gate 38 is provided with a passageway 52 whichextends across the full width of the gate 38 and is located along itslowermost surface. The gate 38 is provided with a magnet 56 which isreceived in a blind hole 54. The jig plate 10 is made of metal which isresponsive to the magnet 56 and cooperates therewith in holding the gate38 in its closed position as shown in FIGURE 3.

A pivotable knife 62 is mounted on the jig plate 10 between and spacedfrom the gates 38 and 42. A pair of standards 58 and 60 are fixedlysecured to the jig plate 10 by any convenient method such as welding. Apin 63 extends through the standards 58 and 60 and the knife 62 so thatthe knife may have a pivotable range of approximately one hundred andeighty degrees. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, the knife 62 isprovided with a handle 64 at the end opposite to the pin 63. Aresistance heater 66 having lead wire 68 is mounted in the knife 62 forheating the knife blade edge 70.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the endless tape is laminar in structure. Thelayer of fabric 72 is preferably made of nylon. The layer of plastic 74is attached to the layer of fabric 72 along their edges. The method ofjoining the fabric 72 to the plastic 74 is explained in detail in theabove-mentioned copending application. The illustration in FIGURE 6wherein the fabric 72 and the plastic 74 are disclosed as being ofapproximately the same thickness is solely for illustration purposesonly. As mentioned in the above-identified copending application, thefabric has a thickness of between .004 and .005 inch whereas the plastic74 has a thickness of between .001 and .002 inch. While the tapedisclosed in the drawings is of laminar structure, it will beappreciated that applicants invention may be practiced on a single plyof nylon ribbon.

The operation is as follows:

The arrow-shaped positioner 26 is adjusted relative to the jig plate It)so that the desired length of endless tape will be provided. If desired,the stem 34 of the arrow-shaped positioner may be provided with indiciawhich can be compared with indicia located on the jig plate 10 adjacentthe slot 16.

The operation of the apparatus will be discussed first with a single plyof nylon tape. The single ply of nylon tape is provided in bulk rollsand inked by high speed machinery. The leading edge of the nylon tape isfed over the jig plate 10 and under the gates 40 and 4'2 in thedirection of arrow 80 in FIGURE 1. The leading edge is fed down over theedge 13 in slot 17 in the jig plate 10, and under the leading edge ofthe arrow-shaped positioner 26. The leading edge is then fed over theedges 30 and 32 of the arrow-shaped positioner 26 and down underneaththe truncated cone 20. The leading edge is then returned to the topsurface of the jig plate 10 by passing over the edge 24 of the truncatedcone 2%) and then under the gates 38 and 44. That portion of the tapewhich passes between the gates 38 and 44 will overlap a portion of thetape which extends between gates 40 and 42. The handle 64 on the knife62 is pivoted to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1. When theknife 62 is in the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1, the knifeblade edge 70 will extend across the overlapped portion of the tapes atan angle approximately forty-five degrees with each tape. A small amountof pressure on the handle 64 will enable the knife cutting edge 70 tocut the tape and provide a thermo-fused joint. The knife will then bepivoted in the direction of arrow 71 in FIGURE 4 to its full lineposition in FIGURE 1. The leading edge of the tape which is now locatedunder gate 40 will be thrown away. The gates 38 and '40 will be pivotedupward and the endless tape will be removed from the jig plate 10 andarrowshaped positioner 26. The leading edge of the tape will now belocated underneath the gate 42. The abovementioned process will berepeated in the making of additional endless tapes.

The method of using the apparatus in FIGURE 1 will now be described inconnection with a laminar type having a nylon fabric on one side and asheet of plastic on the other side. The laminated tape is fed under thegates and around the arrow-shaped positioner 26 in the same manner asrecited above. When using a laminated tape, it is preferred that theplastic side he face up so that in the overlapped portion of the tapethe plastic sides will be adjacent to one another. When the knife 62 ispivoted to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1, the hot knifeblade edge 70 will sever the endless tape from the roll and provide athermo-fused joint 73. As shown in FIGURE 5, the endless tape 76 willhave a thermo-fused joint 78 which extends across the full width of thetape and makes an acute angle with the edges of the tape. The thicknessof the endless tapes 76 at the joint 78 will be substantially the sameas the thickness throughout the remainder of the endless tape 76. Thus,the bulkiness presented by sewn or pasted joints has been eliminated.Since the layers 72 and 74 of the laminated tape are both synthetics,the hot knife blade edge 70 severs the tape and'provides a thermoiusedjoint between the fabric layers and the plastic layers. Since thethermo-fused joint 78 is at an acute angle with the edges of the tape76, the typing keys of a piece of office machinery will only hit aportion of the joint.

It will be appreciated that the jig may be modified so that thetherino-fused joint extends across the width of the tape andsubstantially perpendicular to the edges of the tape. Such structure iswithin the scope of this invention, although, it is preferred to providea thermofused joint which extends across the Width of the tape at anacute angle with the edges of the tape. Since the fabric layer of thetape has been pre-inked, the thermofused joint 73 will also contain ink.Thus, the applicants endless tape may be impregnated with ink byconventional machinery while it is still on the roll in bulk prior tobeing made into endless tapes. Thus, the necessity for inking individualendless tapes has been eliminated.

While the applicants invention may be practiced with a single ply ofnylon fabric, the laminated tape is preferred. The provision of animpervious sheet of plastic enables the tape to have a long usefuloperating life and prevents the keys on the ofiice equipment from comingin contact with the printing ink impregnated in the fabric. It Will beappreciated that all printing inks are provided with chemicals whichcorrode the typing keys. Also, since the keys cannot come directly incontact with the ink impregnated fabric, the keys need not be cleaned asis done in conventional office equipment.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit of essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A method of making an endless tape comprising providing a roll ofribbon capable of being heat-fused and capable of absorbing ink,unwinding an end portion of said ribbon from said roll, forming a loopof said end portion of said ribbon by extending said end portion arounda jig, overlapping the end portion over an intermediate portion so thatan upper surface of said end portion is in direct contact with the uppersurface of a portion of said ri bbon intermediate said end portion andsaid roll, simultaneously joining said overlapped portions by athermo-fused joint disposed at an acute angle of approximatelyforty-five degrees with respect to the side edges of said ribbon so asto form an endless loop with parallel edges and cutting said loop fromthe remainder of the ribbon on said roll by applying a heated cuttingelement thereto, and inking said ribbon with a printing ink.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said overlapping step isaccomplished so that the side edges of said end portion aresubstantially perpendicular to the side edges of the juxtaposed portionof the ribbon.

3. A method of making an endless laminated tape comprising inking anelongated strip of nylon ribbon having uniform width with printing ink,joining an elongated strip of thin thermoplastic to said ribbon on itsedges only so as to form a laminated ribbon, forming a loop of saidlaminated ribbon by overlapping an end of said laminated ribbon overanother portion thereof with the thin thermoplastic on said end being indirect contact with the thermoplastic of the other portion of saidribbon, simultaneously joining said end to said overlapped portion by athermo-fused joint disposed at an acute angle of approximatelyforty-five degrees with respect to the side edges of said laminatedribbon so as to form an endless loop With parallel edges and cuttingsaid loop from the remainder of said laminated ribbon by applying aheated cutting element thereto.

4. Themethod of making an endless laminated tape comprising inking anelongated strip of nylon ribbon having uniform width, joining anelongated strip of thin thermoplastic to said ribbon on its edges onlyso as to form a laminated ribbon, forming a loop of said laminatedribbon by overlapping an end of said laminated ribbon over anotherportion thereof in a manner so that said strip of thermoplastic is theinner layer of said loop of laminated ribbon and the strip ofthermoplastic on said end is in direct contact with the strip ofthermoplastic of said other portion, simultaneously joining said end tosaid overlapped portion 'by a thermo-fused joint and cutting said loopfrom the remainder of said laminated ribbon by applying a heated cuttingelement thereto, with the thickness of said joint being substantiallyequal to the thickness of said laminated ribbon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A METHOD OF MAKING AN ENDLESS TAPE COMPRISING PROVIDING A ROLL OFRIBBON CAPABLE OF BEING HEAT-FUSED AND CAPABLE OF ABSORBING LINK,UNWINDING AN END PORTION OF SAID RIBBON FROM SAID ROLL, FORMING A LOOPOF SAID END PORTION OF SAID RIBBON BY EXTENDING SAID END PORTION AROUNDA JIG, OVERLAPPING THE END PORTION OVER AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION SO THATAN UPPER SURFACE OF SAID END PORTION IS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE UPPERSURFACE OF A PORTION OF SAID RIBBON INTERMEDIATE SAID END PORTION ANDSAID ROLL, SIMULTANEOUSLY JOINING SAID OVERLAPPED PORTIONS BY ATHERMO-FUSED JOINT DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELYFORTY-FIVE DEGREES WITH RESPECT TO THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID RIBBON SO ASTO FORM AN ENDLESS LOOP WITH PARALLEL EDGES AND CUTTING SAID LOOP FROMTHE REMAINDER OF THE RIBBON ON SAID ROLL BY APPLYING A HEATED CUTTINGELEMENT THERETO, AND INKING SAID RIBBON WITH A PRINTING INK.